Can you tell us something about the birth of the Welling Court Mural Project? When and how did it all begin?

Jonathan Ellis, a Welling Court resident, came up with the idea for the project over five years ago. He had his wife, Georgiana, were looking to improve their block. We were introduced through a mutual friend who suggested they contact me.

What was the first mural to go up? And when was the first festival held?

While visiting from Poland in 2009, M-City painted Welling Court’s first mural. The first festival was held in June 2009.

What was the community’s response to it?

The response was wonderful. The entire community participated and loved it. Just about everyone prepared food to share and loved how the artists transformed their neighborhood.

And now five years later, it’s even more wonderful than ever.

Yes, when we first began, 44 artists participated. This year there are over twice as many, including members of the community. We’ve continued to keep it grassroots.

How far in advance do you begin organizing each year’s festival?

We usually start in February, but we want to begin planning earlier.

What would you say is your greatest challenge?

The mere organization and the delegation of the different responsibilities.

The vibe here is wonderful. What a great model you are for other communities!